The Indian government has revoked passports of 33 Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) for deserting their wives, the Women and Child Development Ministry said Wednesday.

The Integrated Nodal Agency (INA) up to now issued 8 Look-out-Circulars (LoCs) to absconding husbands in cases of NRI marriages. The agency, chaired by the secretary in the Women and Child Development Ministry Rakesh Srivastava, is constituted by the Ministry to deliberate on the Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) to streamline the process of dealing with the cases of NRI matrimonial disputes.

The 33 passports have been impounded by the External Affairs Ministry, a senior official said.

The WCD Ministry has also said that a detailed proposal, including points like mandatory registration of NRI marriages within one week with penal outcomes for non-registration, would be placed before the Cabinet for its approval.

Another clause includes amendments in passport rules to facilitate its cancellation for absconders, the official said.

"The WCD Ministry and NCW (National Commission for Women) are taking every possible step to protect women in NRI marriages. We serve as a nodal point of contact for grievances received from women on the dedicated email address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and coordinate the redressal system," the WCD said in a tweet.

The @MinistryWCD and @NCWIndia are taking every possible step to protect women in #NRImarriages. We serve as a nodal point of contact for grievances received from women on the dedicated email address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and coordinate the redressal system.@sharmarekha

"The problem of women being abandoned in NRI marriages is a serious issue. For the first time, WCD Ministry, Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs are providing coordinated support to women facing problems in their marriage to NRIs," the WCD said in another tweet.

The problem of women being abandoned in #NRImarriages is a serious issue. For the first time, @MinistryWCD, Ministry of External Affairs @MEAIndia, and Ministry of Home Affairs are providing coordinated support to women facing problems in their marriage to NRIs.